At booth A-8218 MAG Giddings & Lewis highlights the FT 3500, a massive horizontal boring mill (floor type). The IMTS machine features 32.8 feet of X travel and 11.8 feet of Y travel, but standardized modules allow the machine to be configured with travel from 13.1 feet to 52.5 feet and Y axis headstock travel to 16.4 feet. Modularity allows economical customization, along with industry's fastest machine build and delivery. All boring mills include G&L's spindle growth compensation. Two available platforms (FT and ram-style FTR) can be fitted with choice of travels, headstocks, spindle diameters and spindle power, controls, coolant system, work holding and tool magazines.
In booth 8400, Mori Seiki shows a high precision, high efficiency mill-turn. It claims the world's largest Y-axis travel as well as the fastest Z-axis rapid traverse rate and tool change in its class. Suggested applications: machining large parts and long workpieces for the aerospace, oil and natural gas industries. Direct drive motors are used.
In booth A-8202, multifunctionality is demonstrated by the Tricept T9000, a parallel kinematic machining system supported in the U.S. by distributors Hartwig Inc., Robert E. Morris and Gosiger. Capabilities: milling, drilling, routing, deburring and finishing, optical inspection, rivet/fastener installation and even friction stir welding with just a change of tooling.
In booth B-1007 of the Emerging Technology Center, the Penn State Machine Dynamics Research Lab will spotlight a system that senses the force generated during precision grinding. Difficult precision grinding and micro milling challenges may be solved using high quality instrumented spindles with embedded capacitance gages to provide real-time force feedback with milli-Newton resolution. The benefit of this system is improved process control and more accurate parts.
In booth 1016 of the Emerging Technology Center the University of New Hampshire will showcase a real-time sensor interface system that can provide tool tip sensor data for process condition monitoring during metal cutting. Condition monitoring includes tool wear, run-out and system stability evaluation. The Smart Tool Holder allows accurate determination of NC metal cutting system dynamics so cutting forces and ultimately, part quality can be estimated in process. To solve this problem, a wireless sensor system has been developed for non-invasive integration into commercial cutting tool holders.
At booth B-1021 TechSolv Inc. will be highlighting its Smart Machine Platform Initiative (SMPI) project and three demonstrations of MTConnect monitoring conditions on the SMPI test bed in Cincinnati.
In booth B-1011 the University of Kentucky will demonstrate economic, environmental and societal benefits of implementing sustainable manufacturing. The focus is machining, forming and brazing processes that have exhibited significant advantages in sustainability principles. The University will highlight the latest advances in research, including energy-efficiency, toxic-free, waste-minimized, emission-reduced, safe and secure technologies that will promote the 6Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, redesign and remanufacture) of sustainable manufacturing.
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